Top 5 New Power Restaurants For Toronto Film Fest Deal-Making, Dining

Whatever your hunger pangs, TIFF -goers this week should be nabbing reservations at these new high-powered hangouts before or after starry movie premieres, or when deal-making comes round.

Executive chef and owner Moeen Abuzaid, who came to Toronto by way of New York City and a Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan, pays homage to classic Middle Eastern cuisine with creative and elegant dishes like Freekeh, Jerusalem Artichoke (37) and Sea Bass, Red Tatbileh (65). “I’m not trying to change what they are, but to honor where they come from while expressing them through my own experience as a chef,” he explains. The Michelin Guide-rated TIFF sanctuary also has Za’atar Bread (16) and Angus Beef Shawarma (27). Related Stories Movies 'Babies' Review: Anna Kendrick Is a Comic Dynamo Alongside Seth Rogen in a Sparkling Portrait of a Couple Weighing the Pros and Cons of Parenthood Movies Toronto: Seth Rogen Shares Secret to Hollywood Success: "I Was Lucky Coming Up"

Crucial cocktails and Tex-Mex delights for TIFF players doing deals will be dished up on Queen Street at The Dirty Laundry. Robin Goodfellow, owner and bartender, tells THR about her menu from chef Renelle Joubert, “Just because something is peak in execution, doesn’t mean it has to cost an arm and a leg. We’re also big Nirvana fans.” There’s Nachos Too (25), Crispy Catfish Sando (15) and a TDL Burger (14). The signature cocktails include The Grove (19) and The Grotto (21).